Join us for an informal gathering on Tuesday, October 18 at J. Clyde. This will be a great time to meet other media professionals, discuss what’s going on in your world, and let us know what you’d like to see Media of Birmingham do this upcoming year.

Challenged by client cutbacks and layoffs, writers and other communications professionals are seeking new income sources. Where do you turn when the world seems to turn on you? What do you need to learn? Where are the new markets for your talents? Get the answers from AMP’s panel of professionals who have taken bold steps and will give you first-hand information. You’ll leave with ideas you can turn into cash by venturing into new media, learning new skills, and showing your clients how to compete in today’s fast-changing environment.

Dr. Wilson Lowrey, Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Alabama.

Jennifer Walker Journey, Professional Blogger

John Phillips,Nighthawk Publications

Workshop Scholarships: Alabama Media Professionals will offer a limited number of workshop scholarships to individuals who have lost jobs or major income from client budget cuts. These scholarships are funded by donations from members and event sponsors. For details, e-mail Ann Halpern at halperns@charter.net.

At least 100 people at these organizations lost their jobs. Even more frightening are the jobs that disappeared without a whisper, either by news outlets or this site. Who knows how bad it really is?

And that is the odd state of media in Birmingham in 2009. Sometimes, a blog for a professional networking group, or a whisper on Twitter or Facebook, is the only indication that a company is about to implode.

For those continuing to look for work within their current field, we can only wish you the best of luck. And for those working on Plan B for their careers, we offer our encouragement and our ideas.

Not all of you will stay in media, whether it’s advertising, marketing, journalism or whatever. The jobs are going away, and many are not coming back.

That doesn’t mean creative, smart professionals can’t carve out a new career. But it will take luck, talent and hard work, the tripod of success. Career transformation can be done, and it’s happening every day in Birmingham.

Media of Birmingham will continue to bring the news and information that matters to our audience, whether on this site or in our monthly events. We serve you, the city’s professional media community.

And we ask that you pitch in. Your ideas, your energy and your willingness to help keep this group thriving, even in a challenging year like this one.

The headlines may continue to be negative for some time. Only you can rewrite your own story.

Getting Noticed and Working with the Media

Atticus Rominger, a consultant with Rominger Media and MOBster, ﻿shares insights and tips on getting media coverage for your business. The former Fox 6 reporter will give insider’s view of how the newsroom really works and what will help you get noticed when working with the media.

Welcome

Welcome to Media of Birmingham, a news and information site about journalism, advertising, public relations, new media and marketing based in Birmingham, Ala. The site went online in 2006, and the group behind it was founded in 2003.